The Unity and Diversity of Life Wiki Project AP Biology



Introduction:

Whether an organism is a single cell, many cells, or sometimes both, it has problems to solve if it is to survive. Plants and animals both have to obtain nutrients often from each other. Sea slugs, sea urchins and seaweed all have to release wastes and gasses. Bactrian camels (they’re the one with two humps) and streptococcus bacteria need to take in water and salts. Every organism has a niche. During this project you will be creating a Wikipedia presenting the diversity of life and how organisms solve life’s puzzles.

The assignment:
  • Each of you will be assigned a particular organism.
  • For your initial page setup, you will use the textbook as your only source and prepare the page for the taxon including basic information about each “topic” (see list of “Topics” below).
  • You should simplify the language so that a 10th grader can understand it.
  • You will then edit other students’ pages using the internet as your source and they will edit yours.
    • Each of you will be required to supply one edit per page.
    • These edits should add information from internet sources and supply the links.
    • Five of your edits can be picture additions to a page (no more than one per page).
    • Five more of your edits can be review questions (up to one per page).
    • These edits will be done in two cycles of 9 edits each
    • During this process of entering information and editing, I will able to monitor your work by checking the history for the wiki.
    • You will also be able to easily email me and each other.
    • While anyone can view these pages, only students in this course have permission to write or edit on this wiki.
    • When you first visit the site you will have to register and request permission to join.
    • Be sure to closely examine the rubric before beginning.
Due Dates:

Set up of page:_ 11/11/13 (by 10pm)

First 9 edits: 11/18/13 (by 10pm)

Second 9 edits: 11/25/13 (by 10pm)


Final page edit:_ 12/2/13 (by 10pm)


My organism-

Wiki url:_ http://snowtaxonomy2013.wikispaces.com/

Organisms:
  1. E. coli (bacteria)
  2. Halophile (Archaea)
  3. Bread mold (fungus)
  4. Giardia lamblia (protist)
  5. Slime mold (protist)
  6. Silica sponge (porifera)
  7. Jellyfish (cnidarian)
  8. C. elegans (nematode)
  9. Tapeworm (Platyhelminthes)
10.Giant clam (Mollusca)
11.Barnacle (arthropod-crustacea)
12.Drosophila (arthropod-insecta)
13.Sea cucumber (Echinodermata)
14.Lancelet (chordate)
15.Sea squirt (chordate)
16.Newt (chordate)
17.Naked mole rat (chordate)
18.Peat Moss (bryophyte)
19.Hammer Orchid (angiosperm)



Topics:
  1. Classification/Diagnostic characteristics
  2. Relationship to humans
  3. Habitat and niche
  4. Predator avoidance
  5. Nutrient acquisition
  6. Reproduction and life cycle
  7. Growth and development
  8. Integument
  9. Movement
10.Sensing the environment
11.Gas exchange
12.Waste removal
13.Environmental physiology (temperature, water and salt regulation)
14.Internal circulation
15.Chemical control (i.e. endocrine system)



AP Biology
Taxonomy Wikipedia
Score sheet

Name:
Username:
Organism:

|| Category
Points
 Student Evaluation
 Teacher Evaluation
Vocabulary terms used and explained at a 10th grade level (x2)
 6


Each category is addressed
 3


Thoroughness of explanation (x3)
 12


Accuracy of explanation (x3)
 12


Deadlines met
3


Writing mechanics (x2)
 4


Format and Polish
 2


Pictures for home page and edits (x2)
 6


Citations for home page and edits
 3


5 review questions (no more than 1 per page)
 2


Substantial and accurate edits (x3)
 12



65





Final Grade



AP Biology Taxonomy Wiki Rubric


|| Category
0
 1
 2
 3
 4
Vocabulary terms used and explained at the proper level
 No vocabulary is used or explained
 Few vocabulary terms are used (& highlighted) or are not explained at a level appropriate for a 10th grade student
 Most vocabulary terms are used (& highlighted) or are not consistently explained at a level appropriate for a 10th grade student
 All vocabulary terms are used (& highlighted) and explained at a level appropriate for a 10th grade student
Each topic is addressed
 Topics are not distinguishable
 Few required topics are explained or a great deal of material is in the wrong category
 Most required topics are explained or some material is in the wrong category
 All required topics are explained and little or no material is in the wrong category
Thoroughness of explanation (homepage)
 Most explanations do not contain enough information about the concept and lack supporting details and/or examples.
 Some explanations do not contain enough information about the concept and lack supporting details and/or examples.
 Most explanations include enough information about the concept but most don’t include several supporting details and/or examples.
 Most explanations go beyond presenting info and teach about the concept and include several suppoting details and/or examples.
 All explanations go beyond presenting info and teach about the concept and include several supporting details and/or examples.
Accuracy of explanation (homepage)
 Many mistakes indicate a poor understanding of the concepts
 Many mistakes indicate an inaccurate understanding of the concepts
 Some mistakes indicate limited understanding of the concepts
Few mistakes indicate an accurate understanding of most concepts
No mistakes indicate an accurate understanding of all concepts and/or divergent opinions are included.
Citations, references and copyright
 Not present
 Citations are present, but either in incorrect format or not for all cases
 Citations are present, used correctly, and in correct format
 Citations are present, used correctly, in correct format
and links to sources are provided
Deadlines met
 No deadlines are met
 Only 1deadline is met
 Only 2 deadlines are met
 All deadlines are met
Writing mechanics
 Errors in writing interfere with readers understanding
 Grammar and spelling are mostly correct
 Grammar and spelling are correct and the entry has clearly been proofread

Format and Polish
 Overall appearance of the page detracts from its usefulness
 Home pages only uses headings sometimes and the sections are not clearly distinct from each other
 Home page uses clear headings and subheadings to visually organize the material

Pictures
 Not present
 Does not include all required pictures
 All required pictures are included
All required pictures are included and explained appropriately
Substantial and accurate edits
 Does not meet required number
 Meets required number but most are superficial or contain inaccuracies
 Meets required number and few are superficial or contain inaccuracies
 Meets required number and none are superficial or contain inaccuracies
 Meets required number and none are superficial or contain inaccuracies. Some edits introduce new perspectives and/or considerable new information
Review questions
 Does not meet required number
 Meets required number and most require lower thinking skills to answer
Meets required number and most require higher thinking skills to answer